What Kind of Lawyer Do I Need?

How to Find the Best Legal Representation

Whether you are a plaintiff or defendant, whenever a legal emergency arises – do you know what kind of lawyer you need to best represent you?

In this guide, we are going to cover different types of lawyers and how they can assist you in your legal case. If you are looking to connect with a team of top attorneys in the Albany and Saratoga Springs, NY regions, contact us today.

Personal Injury Lawyers

Accidents and injuries can drastically affect people’s lives physically, mentally, and emotionally. They can also leave a family financially devastated in the aftermath. When you are suffering as the result of unforeseen hardship, it is important to have representation to ensure you receive the proper justice and/or compensation you are rightfully owed.

Some scenarios where you may benefit from a personal injury lawyer’s assistance can include:

Automotive Injuries

Car accidents are one of the primary causes of personal injury cases in the United States. With the number of drivers on American roadways, collisions, severe injuries, and deaths are common and unfortunate realities. A personal injury lawyer can help argue on your behalf before a court of law to help you receive compensation for your hardships as a result of an automotive injury.

Medical Injuries

Some injuries occur as a result of misconduct or criminal act at the hands of a medical practitioner or organization. This can result in you being potentially entitled to compensation as a victim of these actions.

Some examples of medical injuries include:

Birth injuries
Dangerous drug exposure
Defective medical devices
Medical malpractice
Medical negligence

Occupational Injuries

Workplace injuries can remove a person from their primary place of employment, thus impeding their ability to earn an income and support themselves and their families.

Commercial vehicle accidents
Construction site accidents and injuries
Premises liabilities

Other Physical Injuries

Some physical injuries that could result in your entitlement to compensation may be caused by a number of potential factors. Keeping this in mind, they may not fit neatly into a distinct category. Some other significant injuries can include:

Brain injuries
Defective consumer products
Dog attacks or bites
Injuries from sports, leisure, and amusement activities
Lead poisoning
Sexual abuse and assault
Toxic substance exposure
Wrongful death of a loved one

Bankruptcy

When your debts become too extreme to manage, you may need to find a solution to eliminate these burdens and start fresh financially. A bankruptcy lawyer can assist you in all areas of bankruptcy law as well as with completing debtor filings for the proper Chapter of the Bankruptcy Code.

Business and Transactions

Businesses, from small Main Street establishments to multinational corporations, handle large sums of money on a regular basis. In some cases, this can create legal complications for these companies that could result in threats to their viability and the livelihood of the employees that rely on their careers for income.

An attorney that focuses on business and transaction law can help protect your own business against financial threats. Some areas that a team of business lawyers can assist you include:

Commercial and corporate transactions
Financing
Litigation and appeals
Real estate matters
Creditors rights and collections
Employee benefits
Municipal law
Nonprofit law
Personal litigation and appeals
Real estate litigation
Succession planning
Federal and state taxation

A lawyer who practices in business matters can also serve as an effective consultant. When you need to make decisions and want to ensure that you are compliant with applicable laws, you can use your attorney as a resource to ensure that you avoid unwanted legal risks.

Criminal Defense Law

When you are facing the possibility of time in prison or extensive fines, it is important to have a knowledgeable team of attorneys to defend you against prosecution. Some important areas of criminal law where a lawyer can prove especially helpful include:

Criminal appeals
Criminal litigation
Driving offenses
Drug crime defense
Weapons charges defense
White collar crime defense

Divorce, Family, and Matrimonial Law

Dissolving a family union can create a wide range of financial and legal complications. Each separating couple will have its own unique contentions and complications. To ensure that you receive a just and rightful outcome in your settlement, a family law attorney can assist you with legal representation in:

Alternative settlement negotiation (mediation and arbitration)
Child custody
Child visitation
Divorce
Equitable distribution of assets and liabilities
Grandparents’ rights
Prenuptial agreements
Property divisions
Retirement account divisions (QDRO)
Separation agreements
Spousal maintenance agreements

Health Law

The healthcare industry is among the most heavily regulated and scrutinized in the United States. Mistakes can easily cause a person’s debilitation or death, which can result in immense liabilities for your business. To protect your organization, a health law attorney can assist you with:

Administrative and regulatory compliance
Compliance for Medicaid, Medicare, and third-party payors
Data security and privacy compliance
Health law consulting
Health law fraud, abuse, and white collar crime defense
Health law transactions
Medical litigation and appeals
Professional disciplinary actions

Labor & Employment Law

Whether a full-time, part-time or contracted employee, it is important to seek rightful justice against an employer that has wronged you. A labor and employment lawyer can represent you in legal matters related to:

Breach of employment contracts
Wrongful employee termination
Restrictive covenants
Discriminatory hiring and management practices
Sexual harassment
Mediation and arbitration

In many cases, wrongful employer conduct can result in lost wages for employees. To ensure that you remain financially protected and rightfully compensated, your attorney can help you pursue the justice you deserve.

Student Defense

Pursuing higher education is a significant investment that can be compromised by poor decisions or false accusations. When a school’s disciplinary body threatens your ability to progress through your academic program, having a student defense lawyer at your side can ensure that you remain protected from potential threats to your academic career and future livelihood.

Trusts & Estates

The best time to build a more secure future for yourself is yesterday and the second-best is today. Whether you are planning for your retirement or for when you pass away, it is important to ensure that your loved ones remain supported and that your last wishes are faithfully fulfilled. With a lawyer practiced in in trust and estate law, you can receive professional assistance with:

Elder law concerns
Administration of estates and trusts
Estate litigation
Estate planning
Guardianship concerns
Medicaid planning
Asset protection and prevention
Succession planning
Drafting of wills and trusts

Upon your passing, your lawyer can also assist your loved one in managing the legal complexities of the estate you leave behind. This can help protect them from any potential financial or legal hardships that they might otherwise have to endure.

Work with the Capital Region’s Top Attorneys Today

With nearly a century of successful representation, the attorneys at O’Connell & Aronowitz provide a diverse and holistic range of legal representation services to residents, businesses, and organizations throughout New York State from our Albany and Saratoga Springs offices. If you have a legal need and are unsure of what kind of lawyer you need, contact us today to speak with someone from our practice.